Mexico City: Dining in the Zona Rosa

By Jim Ayres

Like many MONTROSE STAR
readers, I’ve visited Mexico many times. From Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo and
Juarez to resorts like Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and Cancun.

But I’d never ventured to Mexico
City. It had seemed impenetrable, being one of the world’s largest cities, but
a polluted one with crowding and personal safety issues. Not many people I knew
had Mexico City at the top of their travel bucket lists.

Well, I made my first visit a
couple of years ago and returned earlier this month for a quick weekend. I
found a city bustling with activity, be it commuting to and from work, going to
the gym, or going out to eat. I absorbed its rich history and cultural
heritage, on proud display throughout Mexico City.

I contrasted the city’s classical
architecture with its modern structures. Some of the newer buildings are really
“out there” including Museo Soumaya (MuseoSoumaya.org) at Plaza Carso, the
“slouching metal handbag” of a museum that may be my favorite building in the
world.

La Casa de Tono’s Pozole.

Of course, all that touring builds
one’s appetite. For many LGBT travelers, the Zona Rosa is home base. It’s home
to many of Mexico City’s gay bars and some fabulous restaurants. Think of the
Zona Rosa as Mexico City’s Montrose with a little Greenwich Village in the mix.

My friend Anthony and I kicked off
our weekend by meeting his friend Samuel at La Casa de Toño (m.LaCasaDeTono.com.mx),
a neighborhood institution. Much of what’s here would be familiar to Tex-Mex
fans, but with an interior twist. I had the Pozole, noted by many Yelpers and
Trip Advisors as the best on Earth. What warmth and comfort from a bowl — I
could slurp this stuff every day.

We had a little bit of everything,
and all of it was wonderful. And when we left after our meal, there were two
lines, one on each side of the entrance, stretching down the sidewalk!

Breakfast the next morning at
Contrastes (+52 55 5264 3481; no website) rejuvenated us. Along with some of
the best coffee I’ve ever had (there’s a hint of cinnamon), a plate of
Chilaquiles hit the spot. Crisp tortilla chips are topped with shredded
chicken, salsa verde, queso asadero and two glorious fried eggs. Breakfast
doesn’t get much better than this.

If Contrastes wasn’t fancy, dinner
Saturday night certainly was. La Grange Churrascaria (LaGrangeChurrascaria.com.mx)
is a delicious Brazilian steakhouse — a more brightly lit, family friendly
version of Fogo de Chao.

Oh, the salad bar may be Pizza Hut
buffet quality, but the meats — various beef and pork cuts, chicken and even
lamb — were mouthwatering. Topping it off was a spit roasted pineapple, basted
in butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Heavenly. And the best part? Thanks to the
dollar/peso relationship, a full meal for two, with a bottle of wine, was just
$66 and change.

We enjoyed after dinner drinks at
El Almacén (+52 55 5207 9424; no website), my favorite men’s bar in Mexico
City. It’s retro, with fog machines, but the staff couldn’t be friendlier.
Go-go boys show it all off, and it
was the perfect way to cap off a weekend in Mexico City.